First Hit: This is an interesting story but it's Sandra Bullock’s performance that kept me engaged.
This film is based on a true story about Michael Oher a young man who was homeless at age 16 but ended up getting the help and support he needed to end up being drafted as a 2009 first round (23rd) draft pick in the NFL.
This is the story about how he got to that place. While driving home one evening Leigh Anne Tuohy (played by Sandra Bullock), a wealthy Republican whose husband owned a bunch of Taco Bells, happens across Michael (played by Quinton Aaron) walking down the street in freezing rainy weather.
They stop the car and Leigh gets out of the car and asks him where he's going and if he has somewhere to stay. He answers “no” and before you know it he’s staying in the Tuohy’s house.
The whole film is about how be begins to trust the Tuohy’s and they begin to trust him. He begins to learn in school as well as how to play football. There are touching scenes and there are funny scenes.
There’s nothing you wouldn’t expect this film to have, but what made it work for me were two of the actors and a relationship: One of the actors is the Tuohy’s son S.J. (played by Jae Head). This kid was fun to watch and fully engaged in his character.
The young and physically small boy was a great foil for the large slow moving Michael. Together they make up a dynamic duo and their scenes together are wonderful. The other actor who impressed me was Sandra Bullock. She did an outstanding job of showing strength, courage, intelligence, and compassion with her character. She was believable.
The relationship which endeared to this film was the one between Leigh and her husband Sean (played by Tim McGraw). I loved how they accepted each other’s strengths and weaknesses with openness and support.
Bullock was wonderful and could get an Oscar nod. Not necessarily because it was such an outstanding performance (it was a very strong performance) but also because there weren’t a lot of strong woman’s roles in this past year's films. Head was great, engaging and funny. Aaron was good, however there was a lack of spark which left me wondering about the character.
Overall: This was a predictable entertaining film with some wonderful scenes.